We hope that everyone is remaining safe and healthy, with many areas opening up from shelter in place restrictions. Dancing continues to be a high risk activity, so we wanted to share ideas that support our local dance communities remotely. These suggestions are already implemented successfully … we’re sharing this to cross-pollinate and keep everyone engaged.
A group of female WCS professionals throughout the world, led by Brandi Guild, brainstormed these ideas on how to keep our local dancers engaged, aside from online “group classes.”
Social-related ideas (general and dance-related):
- Separate FB group for your students to keep them connected with each other
- Reach out to your students, especially those who have dropped out
- Call them on your daily walks
- Send a video message and ask them to share a video of themselves practicing
- The goal is – make sure they know you’ve thought about them…they matter!
- YouTube viewing party (open discussion and input from pro) (Good low-risk opportunity to ask students to “bring a friend”)
- “Why is this WCS?”
- “Journey of a champion dancer” (watch their growth)
- Live Q&A sessions
- Town Hall meetings
- Social hours (Good low-risk opportunity to ask students to “bring a friend”)
- “We miss you” happy hour
- Happy hour
- DJ cocktail party
- Saturday afternoon pajama party – casual chit chat with music, some dancing
- Dinner party
- (General) Share videos, discuss the good and the bad…
- Live-streamed improv comedy shows (with pre / post Zoom chat)
- Movie night
- Cooking hour / group
- Game night (e.g., Pictionary, Charades, bingo)
- Book club
- Sharing ideas:
- Show and tell / Getting to know you (e.g., musician does an online concert)
- Solo movement videos expressing emotions through dance
- Beautiful fun videos
- Daily dance breaks (e.g., Baya Voce)
- Challenges – e.g., abs (abdominals) challenge, silly challenges, “bring a friend”
- Newsletters
- “Breakout” small groups (e.g., 3 people) are an effective way to build community – use them with any of the other ideas listed above! (Zoom link: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206476093-Enabling-breakout-rooms)
- “Joke and Jill”
- Charitable event for donations to support a covid-related charity
Class-related ideas:
- Line dances (or other choreo):
- Specific technique-based (e.g., footwork, foot action, rhythms, body isolations)
- General (does not need to be WCS-based)
- 8 counts each week, with stated goal of dancing the full 32 count pattern as a team in the future
- “Shadow dancing” – visual lead by leader / follower response
- Conditioning classes / non-WCS exercises (e.g., yoga, pilates)
- Reduced cost / suggested donations for classes / multiple levels of fees (no judgment! Everyone’s life situation is different)
- Shift priority to chatting / check in with short drills – just to keep everyone connected
The team also acknowledged how difficult and emotionally exhausting creating and delivering online content can be, and provided a few suggestions to help:
- Pros could work together (e.g., create a monthly calendar and rotate teachers; ask fellow pros to “drop in”)
- Be mindful of space as you’re teaching. Show adjustments for them to practice in small vs large areas.
- Be mindful of moves that require a partner, since not everyone has someone to practice with.
- Be mindful of when you’re explaining a concept vs when you want students to practice it
- Keep your lessons at the same date / time to maintain a sense of normalcy
- Realize that your students miss you too! Share your love for them…
- Accept that you may not be able to convey as effectively online as you do in person
- Record your content so you can share it with your students (they don’t absorb as well online either!)
- Don’t worry about your lack of perfection, be human
Finally, Health Coaches Without Boarders (healthcoacheswithoutborders.org) was suggested as a free individual & small group coaching option for those in need. It is not dance-related, but a great resource.
Best,
WSDC Board of Directors
Permission granted by Brandi Guild. Ideas shared during a Women’s WCS Professionals meeting in April 2020 and expanded in discussions on Facebook.